GRAND DESIGNS HOUSE WITHSTANDS NZ EARTHQUAKE

AN EARTHQUAKE-RESISTANT HOME IN CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND, HAS SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED THE SAFETY AND STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OFFERED BY A QUALITY MODULAR SYSTEM.

In an odd twist of fate the house, made from a modular system by Melbourne company Habitech, had only just been featured on Grand Designs New Zealand, airing at 8.30pm on Sunday 13 November.

Shortly afterwards, the home was subjected to the earthquake that struck New Zealand later that night 90 km north of Christchurch.

“With the 7.5 magnitude quake providing the ultimate live test, the house remained intact and undamaged,” confirms Habitech Managing Director Chris Barnett.
Homeowners Andrei, Abby and Alice Martin were evacuated due to a tsunami warning but were later able to return home unscathed.

Designed in collaboration with New Zealand based, Italian architect Alessandro Quadrelli in a classic Modernist style, the house comprises two solid pavilions of spaces, clad in timber battening, joined by a roofed deck of living and kitchen space. The home features expansive sliding glazing allowing generous exterior views.

Built by Christchurch building company, LiteGreen Projects, the home’s earthquake-resistant design uses the strength of Habitech’s modular construction system, featuring insulated, lightweight wall panels and offering five times the bracing strength of traditional stud framing.

In addition to earthquake resistance, the sustainable home requires minimal energy to run, to the extent that the solar PV array on its roof produces more power than the home uses.

Habitech Systems and LiteGreen Projects are collaborating to deliver a range of further modular houses across New Zealand.■